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The residents of Obanla area in Akure, Ondo State were astonished when a middle-aged man identified as Oluwole Aiyeloja cut off his penis with a razor blade publicly on Thursday.

According to an eyewitness, who did not want his name in print, Aiyeloja, after cutting off his penis, was trying to cut the scrotum to pull out the testicles, but a Good Samaritan ran to him, took the razor and rushed him to a police station.

The source said, “We were at Obanla Junction (Akure) when we saw a well-dressed man sitting on a bench. Suddenly, he just started pulling off his clothes right there. Later, he started cutting his penis to the shock of everyone.

“It was very gory; blood started gushing out of his private part. One man had to run to him (Aiyeloja) and collected the razor from him before other people went to the ‘A’ Division Police Station to invite the police. He was later rushed to the hospital.”

According to the eyewitness, the appearance of Aiyeloja did not show any visible sign that he was mentally challenged.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident, said the command had commenced an investigation into the matter and that preliminary investigation showed that Aiyeloja might be suffering from “a spiritual or psychological problem.”

Joseph said, “When we interrogated him, he said a ‘monster’ had been talking to him to take some weird decisions. He said it was the ‘monster’ that instructed him to cut his penis for a donation which he did. He added that the ‘monster’ also instructed him to donate his testicles.

“He really needs help, which we are trying to give him. At present, he is responding to treatment at the police hospital.”

Joseph, however, said the victim would not be charged for any offence, despite causing harm to himself as the concern of the police “for now is how to get him necessary help.” (Punchng.com)

Boring, unsociable and potentially a little bit weird – these are some of the common stereotypes surrounding people who like to be alone.

There are also negative stereotypes about singletons; there’s a prevailing idea that there must just be something a little bit, well, off.

But new studies have found that people who like being alone, and enjoy being single, can actually be more outgoing and confident than those who are most comfortable in the company of others, according to Psychology Today.

Researchers measured participants’ key personality characteristics – neurotic, open, extroverted, agreeable and conscientious – against either their desire to be alone or their fear of being single.

The studies of people unafraid to be single were also measured on their relationship-contingent self-esteem, their need to belong, sensitivity to rejection, how easily their feelings are hurt, loneliness and depression.

The Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) has said no fewer than seven million Nigerians are living with depression.
National President of the society, Dr Akin Moses, disclosed this on yesterday at a press conference to mark the 2017 World Family Doctors Day in Abuja.
Moses said based on research conducted by some physicians between 2015 and 2016, 29 million people in Africa were depressed while 322 million were affected with the condition globally.
He said the study showed that an estimated 788,000 suicide deaths worldwide occurred in 2015, while 10 suicide deaths per 100,000 population were recorded in Nigeria within the period.
According to him, there were a few unfortunate suicide deaths in Nigeria which were attributed to severe stressful life events.
He noted that depression played a role in more than half of all suicide attempts and up to 15 per cent of those that were depressed died by suicide. The physician said if not checked and treated, a depressed person has a 20 per cent chance of committing suicide.
The president of the society described depression as a common mental health problem that affects moods, resulting in a change in the way person feels, thinks and acts.
He said apart from stressful conditions, negative life events like bereavement, job loss, financial difficulty, divorce, loneliness, childhood abuse and neglect could also trigger depression.
Moses added that people with chronic pains and medical disorders; as well as patients on certain drugs and those abusing drugs like cocaine, amphetamine, narcotics and alcohol were all at risk.
He disclosed that a combination of medication and psychotherapy; as well as support and care from family members were appropriate treatment for depression.
According him, primary care physicians in the country will continue to create awareness to reduce negative perception and stigma.
He also pledged their readiness to recognise and support those at risk of developing depression. (The Sun)

Reinbolt was talking about Dennis Dunn, a 45-year-old man with a history of mental health issues and interactions with police.

Police accused Dunn on Wednesday of kidnapping after a woman was reported missing at 2 a.m. and then found in a small grave-like pit in Dunn’s backyard shed. Neighbors had heard cries for help and called police.

An officer found the woman, 30-year-old Jennifer Elliott, in the pit in the floor of the shed with wood over top of it. Police said heavy objects covered the wood, preventing her from getting out.The pit was about 3 ½ feet deep and 2 feet in diameter. It was not clear how long she was there.

Elliott was shaking and appeared to be having a seizure, but police said she showed no outward signs of physical trauma. She was treated at a hospital and released.

Dunn is at the Clinton County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning.

Earlier this month, he was accused of disorderly conduct and marijuana possession. Chief Reinbolt said Dunn was hearing voices and called police on more than four occasions claiming someone had entered his home.

At one point, his neighbors called police when they saw him in the yard with a pistol.

Police took him to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation on April 2, Reinbolt said. Two days later, Dunn called police again claiming someone was pounding on the windows of his home. An officer responded and found no one there but Dunn.

“Obviously the problem wasn’t solved,” said Reinbolt, discussing the mental health treatment Dunn received. “Obviously this is somebody that I think would be better served in a controlled environment where he can receive regular care and, mainly, so he’s not a threat to the Jennifer Elliotts of the world.”

Dunn’s father showed up to the house on Central Avenue Wednesday morning and apologized to the chief for having to deal with his son.

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Tragedy was on Saturday averted at the Federal University of Technol­ogy, Owerri, Imo State, when an undergraduate of the institu­tion, identified as Sydney Prince, jumped into a river in a bid to end his life.

It was gathered that Prince, studying Materials and Metallur­gical Engineering, is the leader of the Man O’ War, a campus secu­rity outfit in the university.

An eyewitness identified as Stellamaris, an undergraduate of FUTO, disclosed that Prince jumped into the Otammiri River, which is within the school en­vironment after making several phone calls.

She said, “While I and my friends were doing our morning exercise at the Otammiri River bank, he was at the other side of the river crying as he was making phone calls. We ignored him and kept jogging. But after about 20 minutes, he jumped into the river. That was when he started shout­ing and screaming for help from passers-by.

“He was struggling and gasp­ing for breath. My friends ran to the street to solicit assistance from people and immediately I saw his head, I started encouraging him to hold on to a tree in the river. He finally lost consciousness and was already drowning when pro­fessional swimmers arrived and rescued him.”

A source close to the victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Prince attempted suicide because he was frustrated by what he believed was unjust treatment by the school manage­ment. (Authority)

Speaking to the paper’s Bryony Gordon, Prince Harry said: “I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well.”

He added: “I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and all sorts of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle.”

‘Head in the sand’

The Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

Prince Harry said: “My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help?”

He described himself as a “typical 20, 25, 28-year-old running around going ‘life is great’, or ‘life is fine’ and that was exactly it.

“And then [I] started to have a few conversations and actually all of a sudden, all of this grief that I have never processed started to come to the forefront and I was like, there is actually a lot of stuff here that I need to deal with.”

He said he decided to act after his brother, told him: “Look, you really need to deal with this. It is not normal to think that nothing has affected you.”

Image copyrightPA Image caption Prince Harry was 12 when his mother died. He is seen here with Princess Diana and Prince William in 1991

Prince Harry said: “Some of the best people or easiest people to speak to is a shrink or whoever – the Americans call them shrinks – someone you have never met before.

“You sit down on the sofa and say ‘listen, I don’t actually need your advice. Can you just listen’. And you just let it all rip.”

Asked whether he had counselling, he said: “I’ve done that a couple of times, more than a couple of times, but it’s great.”

But he said he could “safely say” his concerns were not related to his service as a soldier in Afghanistan.

On taking up boxing, Prince Harry told the paper: “Everyone was saying boxing is good for you and it’s a really good way of letting out aggression.

“And that really saved me because I was on the verge of punching someone.”

Prince Harry said: “Because of the process I have been through over the past two and a half years, I’ve now been able to take my work seriously, been able to take my private life seriously as well, and been able to put blood, sweat and tears into the things that really make a difference and things that I think will make a difference to everybody else.”

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In September 2016, Saturday PUNCH reported the onset of ’harvest of suicides’ in Nigeria, citing experts’ view on the psycho-social and economic downturn which have prepared the ground for such likelihood. In the sequel, KUNLE FALAYI writes on the World’s Happiness list and what it means for Nigeria

On Monday, March 20, 2017, as the world celebrated the International Day of Happiness, death, depression and economic hardship dominated social media discussions in Nigeria.

Many Nigerians were jolted awake by the apparent suicide of 35-year-old doctor, Allwell Orji, who was said to have stopped his car on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos and jumped into the lagoon.

As search for his body continued in the lagoon, discussions on depression, its causes and results intensified, bringing to the fore a topic that has received little concern over the years.

The following tweets are just few of the thousands which joined the conversation in the wake of the Orji’s suicide action:

“There’s serious depression in Nigeria, two days ago, it was Third Mainland Bridge, now it’s Mile 2. Please! Be on the watch for close ones.” – Iwuagwu Kelechi.

“Wow. The man who committed suicide on Third Mainland Bridge today was a medical doctor. Nigeria needs to pay more attention to depression.” – Isima Odeh.

“Depression is very real in Nigeria. ‘It is well’ does not make it go away. People are drowning in their own thoughts of power/helplessness.” – Olu Yomi Ososanya.

“We are finally waking up to the reality that depression is rising in Nigeria. It’s better for us.” – Oma Akatugba

Just two years ago, in 2015, Nigeria was 78th happiest nation on the World Happiness Report. It was 4th in Africa but plummeted fast after that.

On Monday, as if reaffirming the atmosphere of depression, which Nigerians were talking about, the United Nations released its World Happiness Report for 2017, putting the country at number 95 behind African countries like Somalia (no. 93), Morocco (no. 84), Libya (no. 68), Mauritius (no. 64) and Algeria (no. 53).

Atmosphere of gloom

Despite the gloomy statistics over the general wellbeing of the citizens, Nigeria stands as the 26th largest economy in the world with a GDP of $415bn, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Yet, Forbes describes Nigeria as “the best of the worst”, ranking the country 20th out of the 20 saddest countries in the world.

To the outside world, all these are mere numbers. But to Nigerians, the reality presents itself in the rate of suicides, murders, violent attacks, kidnappings and general atmosphere of gloom.

On the streets, the situation is felt in more immediate terms like increasing rates of road rages, street fights and petty thefts.

All these are symptomatic of a failure of system, lack of psycho-social support system and economic stress, Consultant psychologist, Prof. Olanrewaju Adebayo, said.

The don said that as the ability of people to cope with these various “stressors” reduces, the negative reactions mentioned above become a reality.

In Nigeria, many socio-economic problems drive people to the edge.

On Monday, as Dr. Orji was jumping into the lagoon in an apparent suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge, another victim, a woman, identified as Emerald, was doing the same at another end of the lagoon in Maza-maza, several kilometres away.

Fortunately, the middle-aged woman, who was said to have climbed the rails of the Maza-maza bridge and made her jump, was spotted by passers-by, who immediately rescued her before she could drown.

Again, on Friday, news broke that another woman, Taiwo Momoh, had been rescued on the Third Mainland Bridge as she attempted to jump into the lagoon in a suicide attempt.

On Tuesday, during the search for the body of Dr. Orji, the marine command of the Nigeria Police found another body, which was initially mistaken for the body of the doctor.

Some said this could be another victim of suicide or one of the country’s senseless killings, even though the police said identification had not been made while cause of death is yet unknown.

The day before Dr. Orji’s suicide, a final year student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Adesoji Adediran, hanged himself in his room.

Again, like most of the suicide cases reported in recent times, no one noticed he was suicidal. His roommates who were out studying overnight only returned the following morning to find his body dangling from the roof.

Exactly one month before the suicide of Dr. Orji, a young man climbed the Jakande pedestrian bridge in Lekki, Lagos, threatening to jump to his death.

For hours, residents and police pleaded with him before he was successfully talked down. It is unclear what happened to him thereafter.

These cases have re-focused attention on the issue of depression in Nigeria over the last few days.

In Nigeria, there is not accurate data on suicide as stakeholders believe that due to the stigma that comes with suicide, many families never report it.

Unfortunately, there is little or no coordinated support for depression victims in Nigeria.

To address this issue, a Lagos-based documentary photographer, Oladimeji Coker, recently started a project that would help offer help offer a microcosm of communal support for depression victims.

On his website, he called for volunteers who could offer any form of support, be it in treatment or social support.

Coker explained that through his interaction with a medical professor, he learnt that the loss of the social support offered by culture may lead to depression

He said, “The most important part of the African culture is the communal relationship. In the traditional Yoruba communities, one might be a stranger in a community but everybody would still try to offer their support to such person. That alone would have been away to fight depression in those days.

“I realised that a lot of people battling depression in Nigeria have been doing it on their own for too long. It may not work. Sadly if victims of depression are left to fight the battle on their own, we would continue to have more suicide. What this project is doing is to bring a community approach into the issue.”

Coker also explained that one of the problem the Nigerian government must address is the high cost of psychiatric treatments.

In a similar step, few days ago, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, initiated the Suicide Prevention Service Centre. The Coordinator of the centre, Dr. Raphael Ogbolu, said it has now become necessary to start the service immediate in the light of the increasing number of suicides in the country.

But Professor Olatunji Aina of the Department of Psychiatry, University of Lagos, said Nigerians must be mindful of the fact that depression is not the only cause of suicide.

According to him, suicide could be triggered by social and economic problems or even substance abuse.

Aina said, “But depression as we know it in the medical field is still the major cause of suicide even though it is not the only cause.

“Depression is one of the major psychiatric problems all over the world not just in Nigeria. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of morbidity.

“Because it is not scientifically documented in Nigeria does not mean it is not a major problem here already. From the time ab initio, there has been a problem describing what depression is.

“Virtually all the local languages in Africa do not have specific words for depression.”

According to the don, the lack of an ethnic distinction of depression is a major reason why the problem has never been taken seriously in this part of the world.

“Under-recognition of the problem is one of the reasons depression is a major issue in health care. When someone with depression comes to the hospital, sometimes, they don’t present the symptoms we see among whites. They present bodily symptoms that mask the actual symptoms of depression. It can only take an experienced doctor to make a right diagnosis,” he said.

For Aina, suicide itself is not being treated like a problem that requires psycho-social support in the country.

He refers to the fact that Nigeria still treats attempted suicide as a criminal matter rather than a problem that requires a psychiatric help.

A country in ‘unofficial depression’

Beyond the medical understanding of depression, a sociologist, Dr. Jibril Adeniyi, explained that the increasing rates of social malaise in the country is enough to put the country in an “unofficial depression”.

According to him, it does not matter what the GDP says if the quality of life of a larger percentage of the people does not reflect the total monetary value of goods and services produced in the country.

To him, signs of the times like suicides, increasing murder cases, killings for ritual, violence/killings in family circles, sale of children, street violence, are to him enough reason to say Nigeria is in an “unofficial depression.” According to him, all these problems have a direct link to the economic downturn in the country.

Adeniyi said, “When there is economic downturn, systems fail and people become more concerned about self than others.

“This in turn has impacts on the lives of people who need psycho-social support. Then, suicide increases, people steal more and rob others. Families that cannot cope treat their children like animals and sometimes kill them out of anger. Husbands kill wives and vice versa.

“The social problems only need to be peeled back beyond the surface, and you would realise how they funnel down to the issue of economic hardship.

“Even though economists may not agree that Nigeria is in a depression yet, how bad do things have to be before we know we have gone beyond recession?”

Negative behaviour in an ‘unhappy nation’

Since the publication of the first WHR in 2012, the UN said it has become evident that “happiness is less evident in Africa than in any other region of the world.”

In Nigeria, experts say the “unhappiness” is what manifests in negative behaviour such as murders, violence and socially repulsive actions.

In December, a housewife in Ikorodu area of Lagos, Christiana Odo, shocked her neighbours when she stabbed her husband, Rominus, to death for failing to provide money for the family during the Christmas celebration.

In February, it was the other way round, a mother of three, Sherifat Bello, was killed and dismembered by her 36-year-old husband, Sakiru, in Lagos.

Two weeks ago, a barman, Precious Victor, stabbed his employer while trying to extort N63,000 from his boss, Kayode Oso, an Information and Communications Technology consultant in Ikeja, Lagos.

Few months ago, a 63-year-old man, Korede Odubela, was arrested in Ogun State for killing his 16-year-old step-daughter, Amudat Oshimodi, and selling her head to his son, Seun, a herbalist, who allegedly paid N3,000 as first instalment.

Just a week ago, a Muslim cleric, Kazeem Alimson, was arrested at the White Sand area of Isheri-Oshun, Ejigbo, Lagos, for killing a three-year-old boy, Chiagozie Okereke.

After he was arrested, he made the shocking confession that he paid a teenager N500 to lure the toddler and killed the child with a heavy stone.

But some actions that have repulsed Nigerians in recent times are not only about deaths.

In December, a 25-year-old woman, Ali Odinaka, was arrested by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, in Ebonyi State for allegedly trying to sell her three children.

Odinaka, who hails from Ezilo, in Ishielu Local Government of Area of the state was reportedly arrested by the police after a tip-off from a waitress whom she had contacted to look for a trafficker who could buy her children.

Just a week ago, a 50-year-old grandmother, Rita Eze, who was a member of an inter-state child-snatching syndicate, was arrested.

She confessed that she abducted a three-year-old girl from Lagos and sold her in Anambra State so that she could use the proceeds to pay her rent.

All these have roots in the “darkness” of the present time, says, psychologist, Abbey Shobayo.

“At moments like this, it is not strange to have people shooting above their frustration limit by even taking to acts of violence. Without addressing the social factors responsible, it will be tough getting to the root of the rising cases of murders we have seen,” he said.

Apart from these violent and negative actions mentioned earlier, the “unhappiness” in the land manifests in more subtle ways. On the streets of Lagos for instance, road rages seem to be on the rise.

For instance, Mr. Victor Ajayi, an accountant with a Lagos State Government agency, shared his experience with a motorist.

He said, “Five days ago, I was about to make the turn from Agidingbi Road to Obafemi Awolowo Way towards Ikeja, when I overtook a car that was too slow for me.

“The young man in the vehicle sped till he caught up and blocked me. I was initially afraid that he was a robber but I realised he was angry because I overtook him.

“Before I could explain that I had a right to overtake so far as I did not do it dangerously, he did not listen. He kept screaming that he would slap me.

“I was so confused. I realised it was as if he was frustrated and just needed someone on whom to let loose. I quickly stopped arguing with him and simply kept quiet. He left and drove away when he realised I did not take him up. I have noticed this has become common in Lagos now. Tempers flare on the road at the slightest provocation.”

According to the Lagos Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Hyginus Omeje, managing road rages requires taking into cognisance that it is a psychological issue.

He said, “There is no special provision in managing the issues of road rage. What applies under normal enforcement is that a lot of psychology is needed in dealing with such person.

“If you speak with such person, he can even start removing his clothes or become physical when you try to impound his vehicle. Issuing a ticket would not even solve the problem. Dealing with people who exhibit road rage requires a lot of care.”

Do you know anyone who is exhibiting suicidal tendencies or showing signs of depression? Save a life today, call the Suicide Hotlines: +2348062106493, or +2348092106493